Submicron trackwidth and stripe height MR sensor test structures

Author

Fontana, Robert E., Jr. ; MacDonald, Scott A. ; Tsang, Ching ; Lin, Tsann

Author_Institution

IBM Res. Div., Almaden Res. Center, San Jose, CA, USA

Volume

32

Issue

5

fYear

1996

fDate

9/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3440

Lastpage

3442

Abstract

Magnetic recording areal densities greater than 5 Gbit/in² will require magnetoresistive (MR) sensors with critical dimensions below 1.0 μm. The longitudinal bias scheme used for this sensor size must provide stable device operation and must be compatible with fine dimension lithographic processing. A contiguous junction sensor structure with longitudinal material abutted to the sensor magnetic films and with lead material self aligned to the longitudinal bias material can satisfy these requirements. This is demonstrated by the fabrication and testing of submicron unshielded MR structures with stable transfer curves

Keywords

magnetic heads; magnetic sensors; magnetoresistive devices; abutted material; areal density; contiguous junction; critical dimensions; fabrication; lithographic processing; longitudinal bias; magnetic film; magnetic recording; magnetoresistive sensor; self aligned lead material; submicron stripe height; submicron trackwidth; testing; transfer curve; unshielded structure; Antiferromagnetic materials; Conducting materials; Inorganic materials; Lithography; Magnetic materials; Magnetic sensors; Magnetoresistance; Random access memory; Soft magnetic materials; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.538650

Filename

538650